


New Beginnings

by DodgerBear



Series: We Are Family [2]
Category: God’s Own Country
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 08:56:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18427244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DodgerBear/pseuds/DodgerBear
Summary: A sequel to The Point Of No Return, though you could probably read this as a stand-alone but better if you’ve read the first story.Johnny and Gheorghe adapt to having new responsibilities and face up to some adversity in their community.





	New Beginnings

 

 

Johnny heard the squeaking of bed springs and felt a weight dipping the mattress beside him. Before he could open his eyes he heard his favourite sound in the world. Harry’s giggle. With his very limited knowledge and previous experience, he assumed babies would be complete arseholes in the morning when they first woke up. That may be true of some but not his little Harry. The giggles started when the sun rose and ended when the sun set. Harry was everything Johnny always wanted and never expected. 

“You wake Dada up, yes? Tell him it is time for breakfast.” Gheorghe’s gentle whisper filled the room. 

“Dada.” Harry repeated and grabbed for Johnny’s nose. 

He tried to pretend to sleep for a while longer but he couldn’t resist seeing his family, opening his eyes and finding Harry right in his face. Johnny gasped comically and pretended to bite Harry’s tiny hand. The beautiful baby squealed with delight and buried his face in Johnny’s neck. Gheorghe smiled happily and bent down to kiss Johnny on the lips. 

“Time’s it?” Johnny murmured sleepily as he scooped Harry up and held him aloft, pulling faces at the boy. 

“Almost 6. How many times did he wake you during the night?”

Johnny glanced at Gheorghe and shook his head. “He din’t wake me at all.”

Gheorghe frowned. “Nor me. I did not expect him to sleep so well this soon.”

Johnny grinned at the drooling baby. “You’re a good lad aren’t you Harry? Sleeping all night s’we can get our rest. You’re a good lad for Dada and Papa.”

Harry squeezed Johnny’s cheek in his palm and repeated his most used phrase over and over again. “Dada!”

Since Harry moved into the cottage nine days earlier the men were struggling to find a reason why they hadn’t done this earlier. The tot fit in like he was always there. Deirdre helped out with looking after him when the farm meant both men needed to be out at work but for the most part they were able to work it out so one of them was around the cottage with their son. 

Cate was thrilled with the transition and they were already the proud owners of the finalised adoption papers and a brand new amended birth certificate. Their names were now listed in the parental information section and his new name given as Harry Ionescu Saxby. It was all real. It was all legitimate and signed off with three weeks to go until Harry’s first birthday on October 17th. 

Gheorghe stroked the fine dark hairs on Harry’s head, marvelling at the likeness they shared. The olive skin, the large brown eyes, the glossy dark curls. It was like a shrunken version of the gorgeous features Gheorghe displayed, to the point that Johnny had jokingly asked him in the first week where he was around two years earlier when Harry was conceived. Gheorghe had been mildly offended - firstly at the implication that he would cheat on Johnny and secondly that he would have done so with a drastically underage female - but he laughed it off and took it in the light-hearted way it was intended. 

“We have the meeting with the nursery at 3. Would you like for me to finish the back paddock fence while you do the auction paperwork?” Gheorghe offered. 

Johnny nodded and stretched his long limbs. “That’d be good, ta.”

“Okay family, let’s go!” Gheorghe planted kisses all over the faces of his gorgeous boys. 

 

The nursery that they were looking get Harry a place in was a private day nursery on the same site as the one Johnny attended when he was an infant, although he barely recognised the place with all of the modernisations that had taken place over the years. But some aspects were the same and he felt a lump of nostalgia form in his throat when he saw the cloakroom with the tiny pegs for tiny coats. His memories of his mother were few and far between, whether that was due to him blocking them out or just being too young to recall was impossible to say, but the strongest he could think of were at this school. Annie would drop him off and help him hang up his coat - his growth spurt not kicking in until he was about twelve. His peg was in the middle of the row and distinguishable by the image of a tiny duckling on a laminated card. That was the picture that was assigned to him on day one and stuck with him until he moved up to the infants school. 

Gheorghe slipped his hand into Johnny’s and smiled warmly. “This is hard for me to imagine, you small enough to be in this school.”

Johnny blushed. “Aye. Long time ago. I’m gettin on a bit now.”

Gheorghe rolled his eyes. “You are 28, not 88. And if you are getting on a bit that means I am almost extinct.”

Johnny chuckled and led Gheorghe to the office where they were meeting Mrs Barnes, the headteacher of the nursery and infants school. She had been a classroom assistant when Johnny was at school and he was sure she wouldn't remember him. 

He was wrong. 

“John Saxby! How are you?” Mrs Barnes greeted with warmth and enthusiasm. 

“Hello Mrs Barnes. Long time, no see.” Johnny greeted softly. 

She chuckled. “Aye. It’s bin a while. Come on in.”

The men went into the office and filled the space with their long limbs and nervous energy. 

“Uh...this is me husband. Gheorghe.” He introduced hastily and Gheorghe smiled in greeting. 

“Nice to meet you. Have a seat.”

Once they were settled Julia Barnes got to business. 

“So you two are wed and got a kiddie?”

Johnny blushed and nodded. He wasn’t in any way, shape or form embarrassed about his situation but he still cringed when he talked about his personal life. 

“We have been married for almost three years. Harry joined us permanently a little over a week ago. He is very nearly one year old.” Gheorghe added some detail. 

Mrs Barnes smiled brightly. “Lovely. And you want a place in the private nursery for him?”

“Aye. We’re both on the farm and Nan is a great help but it’d be good for Harry to mix with kids his age. Life on a farm is bloody lonely at the best of times...” Johnny explained with a wry smile. 

“Aye. I know what that’s like. How many hours a week do you want?”

“Tuesday mornings would be good. 8 until 12, while I’m out at auctions. All day Thursday, 8 until 4. And another half a day.” 

She nodded. “What about Friday mornings? 8 until 12.”

The men silently conferred and nodded. 

“That’s good.” Johnny confirmed. 

“Excellent! We can enrol him today and he can start in two weeks. Does that suit?”

Gheorghe grinned happily. “That is wonderful. Thank you.”

“I look forward to meetin’ your little lad.” Mrs Barnes told them cheerfully. “With any luck he’s as well behaved as his Dad.”

“John was well behaved?” Gheorghe couldn’t help but tease his husband with open mouthed surprise. 

Mrs Barnes chuckled happily. “Aye. He were lovely and quiet. If I’d had a class full o’Johns I wouldn’t have gone grey at forty.”

Johnny blushed furiously and avoided Gheorghe’s gaze. Taking compliments was definitely not his thing. 

 

Harry loved cows. From his first day on the farm he was out with the animals and when his eyes met the huge, sad eyes of the cows it was love at first sight. Within a day Gheorghe had taught him the word ‘cow’ and Johnny held him while he gently patted the animals. The smile never left his face. 

“Don’t get too attached Harry. This one’s off t’auction tomorrow.” Johnny mumbled to his son as he made a new friend.

“Dada cow.” Harry told him confidently. 

“Aye lad. It’s a cow. Wait til you see the lambs next Spring. You can come up the hill with me and Papa to see them. See where it all started for us two.”

“Papa?” Harry glanced around the barn for Gheorghe when the word Papa was mentioned. 

“He’s around here somewhere. Never far away. Thank God. Dunno where we’d be wi’out him.” Johnny told his inquisitive boy. 

Gheorghe popped his head into the barn with a huge smile on his face. “You are becoming soft, John.”

Johnny blushed and hitched Harry up higher on his hip. “Aye well. ‘Appen there’s a time to stop makin people guess how I feel about em. You. Nan. Harry.”

“Oh?”

“Aye. I love you. All o’you.”

Gheorghe grinned so wide his face nearly split. “And we love you.”

Johnny nodded his acceptance of the fact and addressed Harry once more. “Say bye to the cows.”

Harry copied Johnny as he waved at the animals and they went to the antibacterial hand gel dispenser that was attached to the wall. Johnny was a firm believer in allowing kids to build up their immune systems by getting out and about in the real world but an active farm was a slightly different kettle of fish. He’d never forgive himself if his little boy got ill from something he could’ve prevented. With clean hands and their coats zipped up they left the barn, stopping to give Gheorghe a quick kiss as they passed. 

“Goin to see Dad before it rains.” 

Gheorghe nodded. “See you for dinner. Look after Dada for me, Harry, and say hello to Grandpa Martin.”

Harry gave him an earnest look. “Dada cow.”

“He does have his moments.” Gheorghe agreed and dodged the swinging punch Johnny sent his way, the three dissolving into loud laughter. 

 

Neither man had given much thought to the gut-wrenching emotion they would feel when they left their son with a stranger for the first time. Even though they both recognised the nursery was highly recommended and had won numerous accolades since it opened more than thirty years ago, they were still technically strangers. They didn’t know that Harry liked to nap in the morning for about an hour, but needed a sippy cup of milk with him. They didn’t know that he loved to eat mashed potato but wouldn’t eat chips. 

“Are we doin the right thing?” Johnny bit his bottom lip anxiously. 

Gheorghe tried to look convincing when he nodded but even he knew he fell short. They were about to give up and take their boy back home to the farm, where he could nap with Deirdre and play with the cows all day, when the door opened and a pretty young girl appeared with a beaming smile. 

“This must be Harry! I’m Becky, I’ll be looking after him pretty much all the time.”

Johnny nodded. “I’m Johnny, this is Gheorghe.”

“Great. Come on in and give me some details and then you can be gettin on with your day.” Becky was so full of happy energy that neither man could argue. 

By the time they left and were driving back to the farm Becky knew their son almost as well as they did. She wrote notes, extensively, in his journal about all sorts and everything that would help her care for him. Even details such as which man was dad and which man was papa. They felt much happier about it and got back to the farm to find Deirdre had left a note on the dining table. 

“ _Gone into village to meet Betty for tea. Hope the lad settled in right. Have an hour to yoursels before you pick him up. Be back by 3. Nan x_ ”

Gheorghe raised his brows at Johnny. “Is she meaning what I think she is meaning?”

Johnny snorted a laugh. “Aye. Bloody hell.”

“Well you heard the lady.” Gheorghe smirked and slapped Johnny’s arse lightly. “Upstairs. Now.”

Johnny led the way, his heart racing at the thought of an hour in bed with his husband and no distractions. He was naked before he made it to the upstairs landing. 

 

When Harry’s birthday arrived the week after he started nursery the family took in a homemade cake that Deirdre was so proud of that she almost submitted it as a Great British Bake Off application. It was a little farm scene with fondant icing cows and trees. Becky was overjoyed and promised them that Harry would get the largest piece at the end of the day when they cut it up. When they picked him up at lunchtime the other parents were there for their own kids and thanked them for the slice of cake they were taking home with them. 

“Don’t want none of that crap if it’s bin made by them faggots.” A sharp male voice announced in a harsh tone. 

Becky was taken aback. “Excuse me. We don’t speak like that around here.”

“It’s bloody disgusting. Bad enough they’re allowed to bring their kid into this school wit’out them passing out cakes for everyone. God knows what diseases they’ve got.”

Johnny vibrated with rage and the whole cloakroom was silent as they waited for him to react. Gheorghe sensed it was about to blow up and reached out to touch Johnny’s arm lightly. 

“Let’s go home John.”

“Aye. Go home and stay there. Fuckin dirty faggots. Don’t want them sort anywhere near my kids.” The man spat angrily. 

Becky had heard enough and put a stop to it all. “That’s enough Mr Turner. I’m reporting this to the head teacher. You’ll have to leave now.”

Johnny jolted in surprise when he realised the voice belonged to David Turner, the class bully that tormented Johnny all the way through high school. He passed Harry over to Gheorghe and moved closer to where Becky was standing. 

“You don’t want us here?” Johnny asked calmly. 

Turner curled his lip in disgust. “No. I don’t.”

“You think we’re gonna give your kids AIDS?”

“Probably. And god knows what else...”

“Alright. That’s good.” Johnny mused and gave a dark smile. 

“Good? How the fuck is that good?” Turner scoffed. 

“It’s good to know our lad i’nt the stupidest person in the room. It was a worry, you know, what w’him only being one year old, but you’ve really made me feel better.” Johnny grinned and turned to his husband. “Come on love, we’ve got jobs to be gettin on with.”

 

Johnny may have played off the comments made at the school but Gheorghe knew they were playing on his mind. He was quiet and distracted, even when he was playing with Harry before supper. Their little tea party and opening gifts seemed to lift his spirits for a while but by the time Harry was bathed and fast asleep in his cot, Johnny was back to being quiet. 

“It’s okay to be mad, John.” Gheorghe assured him gently when they opened a can of beer and sat in front of News at Ten. 

“I’m not mad. I’ve fuckin ragin. That’s what our son’s got to look forward to, is it? That hatred just cuz we happen to like cock a bit more than they do? He’s not goin back there. We’ll find somewhere else for him.” Johnny unleashed his passionate anger. 

Gheorghe clicked his tongue and shook his head. “So he wins?”

“Aye. If that’s how you see it, aye he wins. He were a bully at school w’me and now he’s passin it on to his kids. No chance in hell I'm lettin Harry go through what I did.”

“Harry is a baby. He has no idea what is happening.” Gheorghe tried to reason with his husband. 

“I don’t _care_ Gheorghe. He’s not goin back there.” Johnny spat and turned the volume up on the television to let him know the subject was closed. 

 

Deirdre cooed at her great-grandson while she tried to feed him some toast. They were on their own in the cottage and Harry loved having all of his Marmar’s attention. Equally she loved these moments too. Harry looked so much like Gheorghe but in a short time he’d picked up a lot of Johnny’s facial expressions and personality traits. It was a beautiful thing to see and she was delighted to be in a position to help her boys out with childcare. Since Johnny had decided Harry was not returning to his nursery she had to step up and look after him a lot more than first planned. It wasn’t ideal but she would always do what needed to be done. The main concern she had was the tension between the young couple in the house. Gheorghe didn’t agree with removing Harry from the nursery but Johnny was adamant and not listening to anything his husband said. She didn’t like disharmony in her house. There’d been enough of that between Martin and Annie back in the day, and look where it had got them. 

Harry drew her attention back to him when he launched his piece of toast across the room, frowning when he realised it was gone. His frown turned into a sad twitch of his lips that was bordering on something more if he decided he wanted to whinge about it. 

“Aye. Just like your Daddy.” Deirdre chuckled and handed off a piece of her own toast to the youngster. His responding smile lit up the room. 

 

The cold November nights cut in quick and the farm work reduced to checking on the animals and keeping the land steady ahead of the harsh winter weather. Johnny looked forward to Spring with a passion. He wanted nothing more than to take his boy up on the hills to see the lambs with their mothers and spend lunchtimes having picnics with Gheorghe at his dad’s bench. The family were just about to have their evening instalment of Harry’s bath time when there was a knock at the door to the cottage. Gheorghe answered it with Harry in his arms and found the front path crowded with people. At a guess he thought he could see six women staring back at him. 

“Hello.” He greeted blandly, squinting in the darkness. 

“Hello Gheorghe. Hi Harry.” Becky’s voice replied and she made herself visible by stepping out from behind a taller woman. 

“Becky! What’s going on?” He smiled hesitantly. 

“Can we come in?”

He held the door open for the group and seven women entered the small room, filling it up. Johnny frowned in confusion when he popped his head in from the kitchen. 

“What’s goin on?” He muttered anxiously. 

Once they were inside and in the light Gheorghe recognised most of the group as parents from Harry’s nursery. 

“We all feel so bad about what happened on Harry’s birthday. It’s just rotten the way you were spoken to.” One of the group spoke sadly. 

“It’s not how we want our kids to be raised.” Another added. 

“Harry’s such a sweet baby. I want my Luke to grow up to have good friends.” A voice from the back called out. 

“You’re doing such a grand job of this whole thing lads, we don’t want to miss seeing you experience all the good times.” Another piped up. 

Johnny and Gheorghe were stunned to silence. 

“We want you to come back. We want Harry to come back.” Becky spoke gently but firmly. 

Johnny swallowed the lump in his throat. “Look...I appreciate you comin here...we both do...but fact is Harry isn’t gonna have it easy with us two as his dads. I don’t want people like Turner makin his life harder than it needs to be.”

Becky smiled sweetly. “He’s gone. Julia Barnes got involved and told him there was no place for his sort at her school. She’s kicked the whole family out of the school. They’re signed on for St Joseph’s now.”

Gheorghe exhaled a sigh. “We _did_ like it there.”

Johnny nodded. “Alright.”

Becky clapped her hands. “Brilliant!”

She grasped Harry’s hand in hers and waved it. “See you next week my little cherub.”

The men waved off the group of marauding mothers and locked up the house. Harry’s bedtime got in the way of any discussions but the moment he was tucked into bed they lay down in their own bed and went over the events of the night.

“They were so kind to us.” Gheorghe sounded amazed.

Johnny leaned into his side. “Aye. He’s got them wrapped round his little finger an’ all.”

“Papa cow.” Harry’s voice could be heard in their room. “Dada cow.”

The men pulled away from their embrace to glance at each other before breaking into a fit of giggles. Johnny reached out to increase the volume on the baby monitor on his bedside table and then lay back on the bed, arms and legs entwined with his husband’s as they listened to their beautiful miracle chatting to himself in the other room. 

“He’s gonna be fine, i’nt he?” Johnny sighed contentedly. 

Gheorghe kissed his forehead tenderly. “Yes. There are hateful people in the world, but they are far outweighed by the good. He will be fine.”

Johnny closed his eyes and fell asleep to the sounds of his son having an in depth conversation with himself and the cows, his heavy heart feeling a lot lighter. 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read and shown love for my GOC stories. I love hearing what you think so please keep the feedback coming 🧡


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